Ingredients
1 kg couscous
300gm butter or ghee
1kg lamb shoulder
8 onions, chopped
2 pinches saffron
6 litre water
1 white cabbage, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
250gm pumpkin (butternut)
2 turnips, chopped
2 large eggplants, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
125ml (¼ cup) coriander chopped
1 tsp black pepper powder
Salt, to taste
Method
1. For the couscous: pour the couscous into a large bowl, cover with boiling water and stir briefly. Allow to cool. Roll the couscous between your fingers to remove any lumps.
2. Put the couscous in a steamer for 30 minutes.
3. Put the couscous on a plate or bowl and mix in 150gm melted butter making sure that there are no lumps in the couscous. Keep warm.
4. Chop the lamb into pieces.
5. Mix saffron with a little water and leave to soak.
6. Heat 150gm butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot and add sliced onions. When soft, add lamb, saffron, salt and pepper. Cover with water and bring to the boil.
7. Reduce the heat and let it simmer until the meat is just tender (about an hour to 90 minutes). Add cabbage and cook for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables, with chopped coriander.
8. Serve the couscous in the large plate or bowl.
9. Lift the meat and vegetables out of the stock and put in a separate serving plate. Reduce the stock until about 2 cups remain and serve in a separate bowl or, if preferred, pour over the meat and vegetables and serve in one bowl. Serve with a separate bowl of harissa.
Recipe courtesy: Chef Serge, La Villa Mediterranean Restaurant, City Centre Hotel, Dubai
Image: GN Archives
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